Gallup: Only 41% approve of ObamaCare

posted at 12:01 pm on August 22, 2013 by Ed Morrissey

And almost a third of respondents still say they’re unfamiliar with ObamaCare, even as we approach T-minus one month for the individual exchanges. Among those familiar with the Affordable Care Act, though, a majority disapproves, according to Gallup’s latest poll:

Less than two months before the health insurance exchanges open nationwide, more Americans disapprove (49%) than approve (41%) of the Affordable Care Act. An additional 11% have no opinion. As this landmark legislation enters the next phase in its implementation process, it remains divisive. With the exception of a bounce likely caused by President Barack Obama’s re-election in November 2012, Americans have been more disapproving than approving of the healthcare law.

Additionally, more Americans are pessimistic than optimistic about the future impact of the law. Less than a quarter believe it will make their family’s healthcare situation better, while 38% say it will make it worse. When asked about the law’s impact on the healthcare situation in the U.S., 35% say it will make the situation better, while 44% say it will make it worse. Americans’ views are essentially the same as they were in June.

Familiarity in this case breeds contempt. For those mostly or fully unfamiliar with the bill, it has a 36/39 approval rating — statistically an even split, but a poor result nonetheless for the administration’s signature legislation three years after its passage. Among those who have been following ObamaCare, though, the approval rating slumps to 42/55, with only 2% undecided. It’s a flop, in other words.

ObamaCare gets the highest approval in the age demo with the least familiarity, 18-34YOs, where only 10% are “very familiar” and 36% are mostly or fully unfamiliar with the law. (That may be because a good portion of that age bracket will stay on their parents’ insurance now, and don’t have to acquire insurance for themselves, too.) Still, it’s almost an even split on approval/disapproval of the ACA in this age demo, 44/40, hardly a big boost to the bill’s standing.

Thanks to a series of high-profile setbacks this week — announcements of employers dumping spousal coverage and limiting hours — the likelihood of a big run on subsidies next year will start ObamaCare early on its unsustainable path. What will be the endgame? In my column for The Fiscal Times, I suggest that it might not be the endgame that Harry Reid and other Democrats think:

If this collapses, what’s the endgame for Obamacare? Senator Harry Reid told a Nevada PBS panel that the ACA was only the first step. “What we’ve done with Obamacare is a step in the right direction,” Reid said, “but we’re far from having something that’s going to work forever.”

The ultimate goal of Obamacare was to “work our way past” health insurers altogether, Reid explained, and when asked whether that meant a national health program, Reid replied, “Yes, yes, absolutely, yes.” Senator Tom Coburn warned last year that Democrats designed the ACA to be a gateway to single-payer, government-run health care, and Reid apparently agrees.

However, Reid and his fellow Democrats may end up with a much different outcome than they desire. The primary problem with health-care costs is the third-party-payer system, especially for routine care. That system has been resistant to change because of the employer-subsidy model that arose during World War II as a way to get around wage freezes. …

The ACA will break the employer-subsidized payer model, but not in a way that makes the government-subsidy payer model work any better. The issue won’t be insurers in the exchanges, but the subsidies themselves. The subsidies are the unsustainable element in a rush away from the employer model. The only rational method to deal with the avalanche of subsidy demands is to allow for less-comprehensive insurance plans that charge lower premium rates or to tax Americans into poverty to fund them.

The most rational choice for coverage, especially for younger Americans, is a policy that covers hospitalizations only, with routine care funded through health-savings accounts. Providers are already moving to retail models, rejecting insurance affiliations (especially Medicare) and the red tape that accompanies that kind of business. That model provides pricing signals directly to the consumer, which will stabilize health-care costs much faster and more successfully than government intervention has.

Hospitals and other providers make their “list” prices as high as possible when negotiating contracts with health plans and Medicare regulators. No one is ever expected to pay the list price. Anybody who has seen an “Explanation of Benefits” statement from a health plan will note a very high charge from the provider, and an “adjusted charge” based upon the contracted fee schedule, which usually leaves the patient with little or nothing in out-of-pocket expenses. The only people routinely faced with list prices are those few people who have insurance like my patient’s—that doesn’t include a pre-negotiated fee schedule with contracted providers—or those who have no insurance.

Most people are unaware that if they don’t use insurance, they can negotiate upfront cash prices with hospitals and providers substantially below the “list” price. Doctors are happy to do this. We get paid promptly, without paying office staff to wade through the insurance-payment morass.

So we canceled the surgery and started the scheduling process all over again, this time classifying my patient as a “self-pay” (or uninsured) patient. I quoted him a reasonable upfront cash price, as did the anesthesiologist. We contacted a different hospital and they quoted him a reasonable upfront cash price for the outpatient surgical/nursing services. He underwent his operation the very next day, with a total bill of just a little over $3,000, including doctor and hospital fees. He ended up saving $17,000 by not using insurance.

This process taught us a few things. First, most people these days don’t have health “insurance.” They have prepaid health plans. They pay premiums to take advantage of a pre-negotiated fee schedule arranged for and administered by a third party. My patient, on the other hand, had insurance.

Second, even with the markdown for upfront “cash-pay” patients, none of the providers was losing money on my patient. Otherwise they wouldn’t have agreed to the prices. With the third-party payer taken out of the picture, we got a better idea of the market prices for the services. It is the third-party payment system that interferes with true price competition, so “market clearing prices” can’t develop.

Dr. Singer also uses the same examples of true market-run health care, Lasik and cosmetic surgery, to show how a proper market not only controls costs and prices, but also encourages new providers to enter those markets. Quality and innovation continually improve in those markets, thanks to price transparency and open competition for customers, and providers don’t have to spend a significant amount of their time dealing with insurers or the government instead of their patients.

At some point, we will get to truly rational health-care reform, even if we have to get there by default.

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The one with the fat kid watching him sign the law enacting Obamacare does it for me. The fat kid is stupidly smiling not realizing just what the rat-eared wonder is doing to his and every other child’s future.

Obama and the socialists that have taken over the Democrat party do not care what we think or want. Their goal is to make all of us subservient to an omnipotent central government with themselves in charge.

Until we digest this and fight back accordingly we can’t prevail. Obama and his fellow travelers seek to rule over us, not to govern us.

I will not pay double, for my family and someone else’s. We’re not rich. We scrape and save every crumb to send our kid with LD to a special school. We drive old cars, live under our means and are trying to pay off debt. This year’s vacation was camping. Seriously! That self important jackwad just spent 2 weeks vacationing in Martha’s vineyard and he wants me to pay for losers who won’t get off their butt and work or for people who are here illegally. I don’t think so.

41% – just wait to see what that number is when that 41% find out that the already juiced unemployment number went from 7.7% to 8.9% in one month. I was truly surprised that Captain Ed didn’t post anything about this.

He underwent his operation the very next day, with a total bill of just a little over $3,000, including doctor and hospital fees. He ended up saving $17,000 by not using insurance.

Yup, hear that, and the reason I opted out of insurance 2 years ago and joined a Christian, health-care sharing ministry, which are exempt from the Unaffordable, Less Care Act..there are 3 major orgs, mine has tripled in membership in past 3 years now serving 25,000 members.

Again, you write that as though it matters, and as though it will keep the government from their stated goal of moving forward anyway.

It will not.

Social Security is unsustainable – is it gone? No.

Medicare is unsustainable – is it gone? No.

‘Quantitative easing’ was known to be unsustainable from the outset – did it stop them from printing and distributing meaningless inflation-causing currency? No.

This government that has willingly gone over $17trillion in debt, at greater than ever annual rates, to not only continue but *expand* unsustainable entitlements – why the *hell* would you think that ‘unsustainable subsidies for Obamacare will be any different?

This comment is not aimed at you Ed, rather it is for anyone who happens by to see. It is a personal observation.

Yesterday a dear friend of mine having just come off 5 months of chemo was basically forced into surgery. This was due to the direct negative effect 0Care is having on private insurers. Yesterday instead of waiting a proper amount of time to recover from chemo, my dear friend, had both breasts and ovaries removed. She had to get it done before a certain arbitrary time constraint. Fortunately she made it through. She is now in recovery. Very dangerous business this ruining of our health care system. So when you see me say, “I hope all who brought this and enabled it starve” I really mean it. I suppose I could choose a less harsh way of saying it. I won’t.

Remember, these are pre-implementation polls with many for the Act intoxicated by the Kool-Aid…wait til the complexity of the exchanges, subsidies and premiums hit them, no doubt low 30s approval by early 2014….excellent fodder for the mid-terms…

Who among us cares if the federal government shuts down? Seriously, have so many Americans become dependent on Uncle Sam that a government shut down would be catastrophic?

Instead of trying to prevent a shut down maybe the GOP ought to be publicly asking why it would matter? What has become of us that the nation would fear a shut down?

I wouldn’t be impacted in any way, shut it down!

Charlemagne on August 22, 2013 at 12:17 PM

The thing is that government really wouldn’t be shut down. The military would still be on duty, checks would still be sent to old people. Our embassies would still be operating. There simply isn’t anyway the machinery of government can go to “all stop” the way the left fear-mongers the issue.

Sure there would be shuttered office buildings, pictures of stern-faced park rangers turning away a child at the steps to the Lincoln Memorial, and other showcase indications of government “shut down” but like sequestration it is all a hoax.

I say defund Obamacare. And if Boehner is unwilling to do it, then the conservative faction of the GOP needs to stand up and demand new leadership for the party.

Yes. But as those freebies get more costly, the shorter will be that span between cradle and grave.

Medical science in the free society we used to have always aimed at increasing lifespans and bettering the quality of life. But with government involved, and because of costs, that trend will one day need to be reversed. It will just be too expensive ‘for the taxpayer’.

At some point, we will get to truly rational health-care reform, even if we have to get there by default.

This is a rich take Ed. You have denigrated Ted Cruz for having the temerity to put forward a plan to at least force dems to show their hand regarding funding Obamacare yet you optimistically believe we’ll be able to stumble into sanity by simply withstanding the plan dems have forwarded and then waiting for …?

I’m sure the numbers will keep getting worse as we find out what’s in it, but I’m curious about the 11% who have no opinion. Do that many people really have no opinion, or do they just not want to share their opinions?

Remember, these are pre-implementation polls with many for the Act intoxicated by the Kool-Aid…wait til the complexity of the exchanges, subsidies and premiums hit them, no doubt low 30s approval by early 2014….excellent fodder for the mid-terms…

hillsoftx on August 22, 2013 at 12:24 PM

And that also will be before the true full cost of the thing comes down on individuals and the economy as a whole. In one month the unemployment rate has gone up a full percent. As we get closer, and even after the thing gets rolled out, just watch that unemployment number grow. Add to that the fact that much of those that are being counted as employed are part-timers then you get the real picture.

Our true, unjuiced unemployment rates are already beyond the beginning rates of the great depression. When publicized rates exceed 11 or 12% (real rates more like 14 or 15%) the true nature of hope and change will be brought home to the American public.

They however, need us and would fight tooth and nail against a separation.

Charlemagne on August 22, 2013 at 12:21 PM

Counties in Colorado and Maryland are fighting for a divorce from their commie states. I heard a Maryland Republican comment on it by pointing out that there would be a completely different picture in Annapolis if those upset actually got out and voted. I tend to agree with that idea. HA folks probably vote, although some of them really disappointed me by boycotting Romney last November- handing the election to Obama. But I don’t think the left would be able to withstand a groundswell of public dissent at the ballot box to protest our current slide to socialism.

That being said, this would be a messy divorce. Fighting over the toaster messy.

Trains. Just load them on trains. If they are sick, load ‘em up. If they are “trouble”, just load ‘em up. If they are on “report”, just load ‘em up. And, oh, by the way, you just happen to be on report.

Do that many people really have no opinion, or do they just not want to share their opinions?

Flange on August 22, 2013 at 12:29 PM

Probably a combination of both. If you are twenty-something in good health you probably haven’t been paying much attention to Obamacare. Sure you probably cheer when terms like “no denial for pre-existing conditions” but it really wouldn’t mean much to you. On the other hand, if you’re that twenty-something and realize just what the hell the guy you’ve proudly voted for twice is doing to this country (maybe even your mom and dad)- no opinion might be the most graceful way out.

Any counties trying to leave their states would end up in Federal court. It’s unconstitutional for a new state to be formed from an existing one. The only exception is West Virginia, at the start of the Civil War. That section of Virginia remained loyal to the Union.

Hospitals and other providers make their “list” prices as high as possible when negotiating contracts with health plans and Medicare regulators. No one is ever expected to pay the list price.

Individuals, paying cash, are given bills at LIST PRICE … as if they are “real” prices rather than the joke negotiation starters they are. This forces people to get insurance rather than just pay for their health care as they go (with an umbrella policy to handle major medical events – i.e. true insurance).

The bulk of this problem is due to government programs but once all this was started the private insurers jumped onto the bandwagon, as anyone with a brain would expect.

BarkyCare and its national socialization of health insurance makes this all worse, as intended. It’s a shame we don’t have a Constitution anymore, since this sh!t is totally un-Constitutional.

NJ just cancelled its “basic and essential” plans which were very inexpensive. 106,000 people in the state have it. they are gone as of jan and the replacement plans will cost 3 to 4 times the rate. massive sticker shock, especially among the young and simple minded. the mid terms ought to be a barrage of commercials with obama wagging his finger ala clinton stating that “if you like your plan you can keep your plan. period” we on the right need to make that quote a daily reminder of the massive lies that were told to pass this boondoggle. this story of the 106k losing their plans so far has not gotten out to national media. we need to make sure it does.

Any counties trying to leave their states would end up in Federal court. It’s unconstitutional for a new state to be formed from an existing one. The only exception is West Virginia, at the start of the Civil War. That section of Virginia remained loyal to the Union.

Liam on August 22, 2013 at 12:40 PM

So let them sue! And statehood isn’t necessarily the goal. Why can’t Western Maryland be treated like a territory just like Puerto Rico or Guam or DC?

My wife was notified by her employer yesterday that as of the first of the year they will no longer provide 3 different HMO plans for employees to choose from. There will be only one plan. If your current doctor is not on that particular plan (Kaiser), then you’ll have to change doctors.

For us, that means moving from our local doctor and hospital, to a Kaiser facility 23 miles away.

So we now know the % of minorities and loony white leftists in this country. Its 41%. This is good news it used to be 47%. No one with any scintilla of intelligence wants this boondoggle. What is the GOP afraid of? Defund this turkey now!

For us, that means moving from our local doctor and hospital, to a Kaiser facility 23 miles away.

Thanks Obama.

GarandFan on August 22, 2013 at 12:55 PM

Remember, now — it’s an ‘undue burden’ to make someone get a free photo ID at a state office in town to verify themselves at the voting booth. For folks like you, it’s no big deal to drive 23 miles each way for medical treatment.

Isn’t the liberal concept of ‘fairness’ a warm, woolly, and wonderful thing?

So, I gotta ask. Did you and your family all travel in the same vehicle? Did the dog get driven in the next day or was it in the vehicle with you? And did the trip involve 27 hours of golf during an 8 day vacation?

So, I gotta ask. Did you and your family all travel in the same vehicle? Did the dog get driven in the next day or was it in the vehicle with you? And did the trip involve 27 hours of golf during an 8 day vacation?

I will not pay double, for my family and someone else’s. We’re not rich. We scrape and save every crumb to send our kid with LD to a special school. We drive old cars, live under our means and are trying to pay off debt. This year’s vacation was camping. Seriously! That self important jackwad just spent 2 weeks vacationing in Martha’s vineyard and he wants me to pay for losers who won’t get off their butt and work or for people who are here illegally. I don’t think so.

txhsmom on August 22, 2013 at 12:15 PM

This! There was a time when rugged individualist like you were the norm…now we live in upside down world…

I will not pay double, for my family and someone else’s. We’re not rich. We scrape and save every crumb to send our kid with LD to a special school. We drive old cars, live under our means and are trying to pay off debt. This year’s vacation was camping. Seriously! That self important jackwad just spent 2 weeks vacationing in Martha’s vineyard and he wants me to pay for losers who won’t get off their butt and work or for people who are here illegally. I don’t think so.

txhsmom on August 22, 2013 at 12:15 PM

I hear ya! We went camping too, though… we kinda did because we wanted to, and the kids were asking for it (haven’t done that in awhile).

Also, how will you *not* pay? Just curious, I completely agree with the sentiment, and feel the same way about my taxes, and yet… how does one simply *not* do it?

That’s quality time. I would rather camp than rub shoulders with a million other tourists as I wait in a two-hour line to see something, and that after having been groped by TSA on my way to a plane ride that is packed tighter than a 19th century slave ship.

Turn off the electronics, break out the frisbee and bocce ball, sit around the fire until 0300 drinking beer and swapping tall tales after your kids drop from playtime exhaustion? Nothing better.

The navigators Nurse Ratched hired to register dummies to the exchanges are not even going to have a background check, but will have access to people’s private data, health records and can steal identities…

Speaking of….a woman was found to have collected bennies from 8 states or counties (don’t recall), with 50+ different fake identities…making only 75,000 a year. She must be a real dummy.

But what a system…and, yet, they record all your communications to ‘save’ you from ourselves…

Split the 11% of the undecided morons number and that 41% goes to 47%.
.
47%……
.
where have we heard that number before?

FlaMurph on August 22, 2013 at 12:32 PM

Fair points.

So for a proper moron count, it’s more worthwhile to say that anybody who doesn’t know by now that Obamacare is an irreparable nation-destroying disaster is completely drooling stupid.

So there are 49% opposed, that leaves about 51%, maybe a decimal point more (since the poll adds to 101%) that are complete idiots.

So what percentage of the popular vote did our tyrant of a President receive in 2012 anyway?

Though I still maintain that we must raise awareness for that 41% that actually like the thing and say so publicly and on purpose. That takes a special kind of stupid one never used to see very often. Really cutting edge stuff.

Also, how will you *not* pay? Just curious, I completely agree with the sentiment, and feel the same way about my taxes, and yet… how does one simply *not* do it?

Midas on August 22, 2013 at 1:32 PM

I guess we’ll join a medi-share and/or pay a concierge doctor (more and more in our area all the time). I have self-employed friends with a major medical policy and they plan on just paying the fine for as long as their policy exists.

That’s quality time. I would rather camp than rub shoulders with a million other tourists as I wait in a two-hour line to see something, and that after having been groped by TSA on my way to a plane ride that is packed tighter than a 19th century slave ship.

Bishop on August 22, 2013 at 1:41 PM

Me too! We had a lot of fun. We went with our best friends and their kids too. Fishing, hot dogs and smores over the fire, swimming…it was great. I wasn’t griping about camping, just making the point that those of us living in reality are taking $500 vacations, if any, while our little king spends $millions and tells us we need to fork over more.

How do you do that in Minnesquito without the mosquitoes drinking all the beer and half your blood?

Steve Eggleston on August 22, 2013 at 2:36 PM

Those aren’t just your regular mosquitoes up there either! I went camping around Brainerd one summer. We were pulling in at night. I thought it was raining until the “rain” started smearing all over the window.

Actually 41% approve of Obama…anybody else notice the relationship to his current approval rating. Ask any of the morons in the 41% and they couldn’t tell you a single fact about Obamacare. I bet that all think that Obamacare is a black document.

Actually 41% approve of Obama…anybody else notice the relationship to his current approval rating. Ask any of the morons in the 41% and they couldn’t tell you a single fact about Obamacare. I bet that all think that Obamacare is a black document.